Police and Fire

A 10-year-old boy was in critical condition after being hit by a pickup truck Thursday afternoon in Palolo.

Police said the boy darted out into the street in front of 2170 Ahe St. at about 4:45 p.m., and that the 18-year-old driver of a Ford F-150 pickup was unable to stop.

The boy, who suffered head injuries, went to the Queen's Medical Center, where his condition worsened from serious to critical. Police did not have an update on the boy's condition Friday.

Explosion is reported during house blaze

An explosion was heard at a fire Friday morning in Ninole in the Laupahoehoe District of Hawaii island.

The Hawaii County Fire Department said witnesses reported an explosion and that no one was home when the fire broke out at 10 a.m.

When firefighters arrived at 32-0659 Hawaii Belt Road, half the single-family house was engulfed in flames, fire officials said. Firefighters brought the blaze under control within 15 minutes. It was extinguished at 2:59 p.m.

The cause was under investigation. The Fire Department estimated damage to the house at $130,000.

Homeless man is arrested in robbery

A 43-year-old homeless man is in police custody after allegedly assaulting another homeless man and rummaging through his belongings Friday morning in Chinatown.

A 45-year-old homeless man was in his tent when the younger man demanded his property at about 7:15 a.m., police said. The older man refused and was assaulted but escaped and saw the assailant searching his belongings, police said. Officers found the man about two hours later on North Kukui Street and arrested him on suspicion of robbery.

Teens set free after vodka heist arrests

Two boys, upset because a 22-year-old man wouldn't give them a drink of his vodka, assaulted the man Thursday night in Moanalua, police said.

The man was walking with a bottle of vodka that he had just bought at about 8:30 p.m., when the boys, ages 15 and 16, approached and demanded a drink, police said. When the man refused, the boys chased and assaulted him, police said. The 15-year-old boy allegedly took the bottle and ran.

Witnesses found the older boy at a nearby shopping center, and officers arrested him on suspicion of second- degree robbery. The other boy was also eventually arrested, police said. Both teens were released pending investigation.

Pair claim they were robbed in Chinatown

Two men were robbed Thursday night in Chinatown, and the assailant remains at large, police said.

Police said the men, 34 and 46, were walking home from work at about 9:15 p.m. when the man approached from behind on Aala Street and waved a weapon at them. Police did not disclose what kind of weapon was used.

He demanded the younger man's property and took it when he handed it over, then demanded property from the older man, who gave the robber cash. The men went home and reported the robbery. No one was injured.

Theft of beer puts suspect in cellblock

A 28-year-old man is awaiting charges in police custody after allegedly stealing a six-pack of beer from another man Thursday night in McCully, police said.

The victim, 29, was walking out of a convenience store with his six-pack at about 8:20 p.m. when the other man, an acquaintance, approached and asked for a beer, police said. The robber grabbed the bag containing the beer, and the two men struggled over it before the robber got control of the six-pack and ran away, police said.

After the man reported the theft to police, officers found the alleged assailant, who lives at a Citron Street address, at a nearby park. He tried to flee, but police detained him at McCully and Citron streets and arrested him on suspicion of robbery and resisting arrest.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

2 injured in brawl, 1 robbed at Kauai shopping center

Two people were hurt in a large brawl and another man was robbed in separate incidents overnight Thursday at a Kauai shopping center. Police are seeking the public's help in finding the robber.

When officers arrived the crowd scattered, leaving a man and a boy beaten and bloody.

The man, 33, lost several teeth and sustained a dislocated jaw when he was hit by bottles thrown during the melee, police said.

A 15-year-old boy was punched in the face during the scuffle while looking for his brother and sustained a cut above his right eyebrow.

Both were taken to Wilcox Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Police do not have any suspects in the assault.

About a half-hour later, officers were dispatched to another incident on the opposite side of the shopping center.

A man, 23, told officers he was robbed after leaving a nightclub, while walking back to the Pride of America ship.

An unknown man approached him from behind at about 12:30 a.m. Friday and placed what seemed to be a handgun into his back and demanded money. The man gave cash to the robber, who ran away.

The robber was about 5 feet 5 inches tall and roughly 200 pounds and had a dark complexion. He had a "buzz cut," or crewcut, with a mustache and a goatee and was wearing a red shirt, tan shorts and dark shoes, police said.

Kauai police urge anyone with information about the robbery to call Detective Kekoa Ledesma at 241-1687, Lt. Daniel Fort at 241-1680, police dispatch at 241-1711 or CrimeStop­pers at 241-1887.

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